— by WILLIAM STERR — Have you ever awakened on the floor and wondered: “How did I get here”? That’s what happened to Riya (Eiza González – “Fountain of Youth”) in an outpost on the planet “Ash.” She’s suffered a head wound and has lost her memory. Getting up, she wanders through the structure, finding […][...]
Review: No Other Choice
— by BEV QUESTAD — Ever since Elon Musk brandished his chainsaw, Americans have increased empathy for those who lose their jobs. Note to Musk: It’s not jobs we want to cut but the hemorrhaging of tax money by the federal government for things like ICE entanglement on our city streets and subsidies for the […][...]
Review: Beneath the Light
— by WILLIAM STERR — Lighthouses have a peculiar attraction for many people. However, the lighthouse on the end of the breakwater at Lorain, Ohio, overlooking Lake Erie is special. Not that it looks it. The 108-yea- old structure looks pretty dilapidated, needing a lot of repair. Jacob (Zack Tinker – “Payment Received”) has returned […][...]
Review: One Battle After Another
— by WILLIAM STERR — Those of us old enough to have lived through the turbulent latter decades of the 20th century will recall the KKK, the Weather Underground, the Symbionese Liberation Army and other home-grown terrorist organizations. But what about The French 75? The French 75 is a far-left anti-establishment paramilitary group fighting against […][...]
Review: All That’s Left of You
— by BEV QUESTAD — Two boys scamper, laughing on rooftops. Agile, they leap down to the street, not missing momentum as they race in delight through narrow streets. Healthy, happy best friends, their chase game is abruptly blocked by a street protest. Shots. One boy, Noor, seeking cover behind a car door, is shot […][...]
Review: Hamnet
— by BEV QUESTAD — Let’s talk about death. In one of the first stories about dying, the ancient myth of Orpheus and Eurydice (6th century BCE), Orpheus cannot accept the death of his beloved. His grief is so great that he travels to the underworld to bring his beloved Eurydice back out. But, he […][...]
Review: Jay Kelly
— by BEV QUESTAD — “Jay Kelly” made Barack Obama’s top 10 best films list. I suspect it’s not just because it’s the story of a parent whose ascending career involved family sacrifices, but because we see some fabulous storytelling and acting with an important message. By the time kids are 18 and train-tripping in […][...]
Review: The Voice of Hind Rajab
— by BEV QUESTAD — If there is no other film you see this year, see this one. It’s more important and more dramatic than any other. This is because it’s true, based on first-hand accounts, encompassing a moral dilemma, and its human response. Even if you’ve seen all the Golden Globe and Oscar-nominated films, […][...]
Review: Sinners
— by WILLIAM STERR — Who hasn’t dreamed of leaving home, making good somewhere in the wider world, and then returning to our roots to make a personal dream come true? That is the story of identical twins Elijah “Smoke” and Elias “Stack” Moore (both played by Michael B. Jordan), two black men who return […][...]
Review: Weapons
— by WILLIAM STERR — A parents’ worst nightmare: your children disappear without a trace. There is no ransom demand. Nothing. Seventeen children from Ms. Justine Gandy’s (Julia Garner – “The Fantastic Four: First Steps“) third-grade class disappeared at 2:17 a.m. on a Wednesday. One student, Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher – “An Almost Christmas Story”), […][...]